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Maharashtra: Garba event at Ramdaspeth to go ahead sans loudspeakers

NAGPUR: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court has allowed a garba event in Ramdaspeth to be held this year, but without any loudspeakers. Staging of the event was challenged by petitioners Pawan Sarda , Rahul Dalmiya and Dr Shubhangi Deshmane , citing that the venue falls under a silence zone due its proximity to hospitals.



The petitioners contested the permission Nagpur Municipal Corporation ( NMC ) and city police granted to Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association to hold the garba event at the playground of Mor Hindi Primary School. The court was also informed of a 2019 memorandum of understanding (MoU) wherein the association (host of the event) had categorically agreed that no such event will be organized in Ramdaspeth in future.

The association contended that the petitioners approached the court quite late. They also mentioned that flat owners and hospitals have given their consent to holding of the event and it is only the three petitioners who have objected.

Justices SB Shukre and GA Sanap noted that since the venue falls under the category of silence due to it being within 100 metres of two hospitals, the authorities should not have granted permission in view of Noise Pollution Rules, 2000. Under this, there is a ban on the use of sound-producing instruments such as speakers, music systems, loudspeakers, amplifiers, drums and trumpets in silence zone.

HC permitted the association to hold the event this year without using any musical instruments, however it was held that from the next year, the association shall be bound by the MoU and no such event shall be held.

Advocate RM Bhangde appeared for the petitioners, while senior advocates MV Samarth and CM Samarth appeared for the residents association. Advocate JB Kasat appeared for NMC while advocate Anand Deshpande was the government pleader for the state of Maharashtra .

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